Expandible adhesive material



June 5, v1951 o. A. BERMAN 2,555,564

EXPANDABLE ADHESIVE MATERIAL Filed June 25, 1949 F|G.5. sl s2 s3 s4 S5se 1N VENTOR Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEEXPANDIBLE ADHESIVE MATERIAL Oscar A. Berman, New York, N. Y.Application June 23, 1949, Serial No. 100,933

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in expandable adhesive materials,and particularly to expandable adhesive sheets, rolls, tapes, etc. ofpaper, plastics, fabric, etc.

Although my invention may take an infinite variety of forms, thepreferred form of which is illustrated in the drawing, it may be mosteasily explained and understood by first disclosing its application toordinary paper sealing tape of the gummed type and to the so-calledpressure sensitive type. First let us consider ordinary gummed papertape.

A vast amount of gummed paper tape is sold for commercial and industrialpurposes. One of the uses to which it is applied is the sealing ofcard-board or fiber cartons to avoid the necessity of tying with twine.Gummed paper sealing tape is less costly than twine, is applied morequickly and makes a more secure and effective package than twine. Itpossesses many and diverse advantages over twine in various applica-`tions which it is not necessary to describe here.

Its principal disadvantage lies in the fact that it is most effectivewhen applied to at surfaces. It is not ordinarily easily applied nordoes it ordinarily make a neat package when applied to uneven surfaces.l

To overcome this disadvantage is one of the objects of my invention. Iaccomplish this by pleating the tape to give it whatever degree ofexpandability is necessary to enable it to adhere to rough and unevensurfaces. The size and variety of pleats used is determined by the shapeof the package to which it is to be applied.

Another disadvantage of ordinary gummed paper tape is that for increasedbinding strength it is frequently necessary to apply several layers oftape one upon another. As each layer adheres to the layer below it, abreak in the carton underneath all the layers is Very likely to extendthrough all the adhering layers.

To overcome this disadvantage it is an object of my invention to providea tape of increased strength, part of the surface of which does notadhere to the carton or to the underlyingV layer of tape where even morethan one layer of increased strength is used. I accomplish this bypleating the tape longitudinally with respect to its edges, using awider tape of the same weight or thickness which, after pleating, is ofthe same width as the ilat tape which it is designed to replace, therebyproviding increased strength longitudinally and at the same timeprotecting a part of the surface of the tape against breakage of thecarton because that part of the tape does not adhere to the carton butis detached therefrom.

Another disadvantage of gummed paper tape is that it must be applied instraight lines. In applications of circular shape, eventhough on a ilatsurface, it is practically impossible to use gummed paper tape becauseneither edge is elastic or expandable so that it is not practical tocurve the tape by extending one edge longitudinally over a greaterdistance than the other.

I overcome this disadvantage of ordinary gummed tape by pleating thetape diagonally at whatever angle is necessary to fit the degree ofcurvature to which the tape is to be applied.

These and other advantages of my invention will become more evident by areference to the drawings in which:

Figure l is a plan View of the preferred form of my invention applied toa strip of gummed tape with scalloped edges.

Figure 2 is a. plan View oi the same strip of gummed tape pleated tomake it expandable.

Figure 3 is a cross section of the pleated strip of tape taken along theline 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the saine strip of tape shown inFigure 3 expanded to almost its entire length, to show more specicallyhow the pleated tape extends to provide expandability.

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional View of the tape.

In Figures 1 and 3 the drawing shows a series of segments Sl, S2, S3, S4and S5 of a strip of gummed tape having scalloped edges, 2-2, 3--3,i-ll, 5-5 and G-E. The points at which the tape is to be folded back andforth upon itself to form pleats are indicated by the dash and dot linesl-l, 8 8', ii--l, ill-Ill and II-I l', at approximately one-third of thesegments Si, S2, S3, S4 and S5, and the dash and dot lines l2-l2, l3-l3,ll-M and IE--I between said segments.

In Figure 2 the segments S2, Sil, S4 and S5 of tape l, are shownpleated, with the fold lines 8--8, 9 9, Ill-lil and Il-il' visible fromthe front, the fold lines l2-I2, lB-IS' and Ill-Ill" falling behind thefold lines 8--8, 9-9', I0--I 0 and l E-l l', and therefore, notindicated. Fold point l--l in segment Sl is indicated because segment Slis shown unfolded. Fold line ll-ll' is indicated by a dotted linebecause it is not covered by a pleat line in the contiguous segment. Thecovered portions of segments SI, S2, S3 and S4 are indicated by thedotted line extensions to scallop lines 2-2',f33, Li-Il and 5 5. Thoseportions of segments S2, S3, S4 and S5, projecting beyond theextremities of segments SI, S2, S3 and S are indicated by the numeralsl6-|6, |l-|1, lil-I8 and Iii-49.

In Figure 3 the cross sectional view shows how segment SI foldsunderneath segment S2, how

Yin one or more directions.

pleat.

3 segment S2 folds below segment 3, S3 below S4 and S4 below S5, alsohow segment S2 folds back upon itself above segment Sl, how S3 foldsback upon itself above S2, S4 above S3, and S5 above S4. Here again thefold lines 8, 9, l and Il are indicated.

In Figure 4 the angular form of the segments Si, S2, S3, S4 and S5 oftape are more clearly indicated, as are also the fold lines l, 8, 9, l0and il.

In Figure 5 the tape yis illustrated in an unfolded state to moreclearly show the fold lines.

Throughout this disclosure the termV pleat is intended to indicate anymanner, shape or form of folding back and forth upon itself, the body ofthe element forming the basis for the adhesive material, thusprovidingexpandability y Between the forms of pleats shown there lies an endlessvariety of other forms. There are also other types ofwpleats, as forinstance, what is known as a box pleat, or the opposite of it, known asan inverted box Whatever the form, my invention embraces any and allfoldings, longitudinal, transverse, diagonal, etc., whereby one edge ofan adhesive tape may be expanded with or without expansion of the otheredge, or any point between the edges may be expanded without .acorresponding expansion of either edge.

Y It is this flexibility in expansion that enables tape made as I haveindicated to follow the contour of smooth, rough, straight, arcuate,hollow, elevated or other irregular surfaces or forms.

Likewise, these characteristics of tape apply to rolls, sheets, stripsand other forms of adhesiveV elements used for various purposes.

What has been said about gummed tapes Will nowV be understood to beapplicable to pressure Sensitive, surgical and other varieties ofadhesives. For pressure sensitive tapes various types of backing may beused to prevent adhesion of the front of the tape to the back thereof.In most cases these backings are removed just before application.

In the case of gummed tape, to facilitate winding on rolls and toprevent the pleats from opening up in the winding process, one or morenarrow lstrips of paper or other material may be affixed 'to the gummedsurface. and removed before application or these strips Amay be gummedalso and affixed to the tape with the gummed side exposed herein isillustrative only, that my invention is not limited thereto, and thatchanges and variations in the size, shape and location of elements,etc., may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of myinvention and the scope of my claims. For to others skilled in the artit will appear from my invention and disclosure that many variations andmodifications may be made without copying the specific structure shown,therefore, I claim all such variations and modifications insofar as theyfall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my appended claims.

I claim: x

1. A binding tape including an elongated strip of material having anadhesive surface and a plain surface, said strip being formed from aplurality of joined sections, each of said sections having opposingconvex side edges and-straight end edges, the adjoining end edges of thesections being hingedly connected together and each section being formedwith a transverse fold line dis.- posed parallel with and in adjacencyto one of its end edges, said sections being folded upon their adhesivesurfaces at their fold lines and the folded portions being superimposedon the plain surface of adjacent sections.

2. A binding tape including an elongated strip of material having anadhesive surface and a plain surface, said strip being formed from aplurality of joined sections, each of said sections having opposingconvex side edges and straight end edges, the adjoining end edges of thesections strip edges.

3. V A. binding tape including an elongated strip of material having anadhesiversurface and a plain surface, said strip being formed from aplurality of joined sections, each of said sections having opposingconvex Side edges and straight end edges, the adjoining end edges of thesections so that the strip and the tape adhere simultane- I havedescribed, provides a stronger seal than` an unpleated tape of the samewidth because the tensile strength is multiplied proportionately to thenumber and size of the pleats since multiple layers of tape are appliedin one operation, thus avoiding the application of several reinforcinglayers in several operations, the cost of labor is materially reduced bythe use of my type of tape.

Endless 'variations and modifications in sizes and shapes of myinvention may be made to meet various needs, and I herein claim all suchvariations and modifications insofar as they fall within the reasonablespirit and scope ofrmy claims, although I Vshow only a few examples todisclose ,my invention.

It should, therefore, be understood that the particular embodimentof myinvention disclosed being hingedly connected together` and each sectionbeing formed with a transverse fold line disposed parallel with and inadjacency to one of its end edges, said sections being folded upon theiradhesive surfaces at their fold lines and the folded portions beingsuperimposed onthe plain surface of adjacent sections, the outersurfaces of the folded portions being ush with the plain surfaces of thesections.

OSCAR A. BERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS ,Number Y Name Date 1,852,040 Blank Apr. 5, 19321,978,631 Herrlinger Oct. 30, 1934 2,086,179 Angler July 6, 1937Y2,124,650 Chesster July 26, 1938 2,156,279 Drew May 2, 1939 2,339,446Fiegler et al Jan. 18, 1944 2,353,332 Hall July 11, 1944 2,373,634Wagner Apr. 10, 1945 2,402,982 Steenbergen July 2, 1946

1. A BINDING TAPE INCLUDING AN ELONGATED STRIP OF MATERIAL HAVING AN ADHESIVE SURFACE AND A PLAIN SURFACE, SAID STRIP BEING FORMED FROM A PLURALITY OF JOINED SECTIONS, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING OPPOSING CONVEX SIDE EDGES AND STRAIGHT END EDGES, THE ADJOINING END EDGES OF THE SECTIONS BEING HINGEDLY CONNECTED TOGETHER AND EACH SECTION BEING FORMED WITH A TRANSVERSE FOLD LINE DISPOSED PARALLEL WITH AND IN ADJACENCY TO ONE OF ITS END EDGES, SAID SECTIONS BEING FOLDED UPON 